1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device and a method for manufacturing the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a display device expanded active display area and improved visual appreciation.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In accordance with the evolution of information-dependent society, demand for display devices has vastly increased. In response to this demand, a variety of display devices such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs), organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), plasma display panels (PDPs), electro-luminescent displays (ELDs) and vacuum fluorescent displays (VFDs) are being researched and utilized as displays for various devices in recent years.
Of these display devices, liquid crystal displays (LCD) and organic light emitting displays (OLEDs) have been developed, satisfying the demand of users due to advantages of lightness, thinness, shortness and smallness, and color clearness.
A display device typically has a thin film transistor array substrate including a thin film transistor as a switching element in each pixel region. The thin film transistor array substrate is provided with a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines intersecting each other and a thin film transistor at each intersection of the gate lines and the data lines. A pad unit is connected to a printed circuit board in an edge portion of the thin film transistor array substrate for applying electric signals to the gate lines and the data lines.
Hereinafter, a conventional display device will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a conventional display device.
As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional display device has a configuration in which a support structure such as a housing is surrounded at an edge of a display surface to shield an inner configuration.
In addition, the support structure is typically made of, for example, a plastic material having a predetermined stiffness, which is different from a material for the display surface, protrudes from the display surface, and has a sufficient width for preventing a metal or pad unit present at the edge of the display surface from being seen from the outside, thus causing a decrease in active display area.
Also, the support structure typically has a sufficient thickness and width to prevent exposure of the side surface of the printed circuit board. As a result, the total thickness of the display device increases, and slimness of the display device may become difficult.